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Iran files suit against US at International Court of Justice

on June 17, 2016 | 12:15:51

Iran has filed a lawsuit with the International Court of Justice to recover $2 billion worth of assets frozen in the United States.

Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani made the announcement in remarks Wednesday on state television. The tribunal also confirmed that the suit was filed, on Tuesday.

“The government of the Islamic Republic of Iran officially complained about America to the International Court of Justice for the confiscation and theft of two billion dollars of the property of the central bank,” said Iranian President Hassan Rouhani as quoted by Reuters.

Rouhani stressed that Tehran demanded Washington is condemned for its anti-Iranian action and is seeking compensatory damages.

The U.S. Supreme Court announced in April that the frozen funds would be used to compensate the victims and families of victims of the 1983 bombing of a U.S. Marine barracks in Lebanon, and other attacks that have been linked to Iran.

Iran has denied any role in the attacks and rejected the court ruling, calling it theft.

Iran’s claim says the U.S. legal proceedings violate a 1955 “treaty of amity” between the two countries that covers economic relations and consular rights. It has called on the United States to make full reparations to Tehran for violating its “legal obligations.”

More than 1,000 Americans have joined a suit blaming Iran for providing material support to Hezbollah, the Shi’ite Islamic military group behind the Beirut bombing and the bombing of Saudi Arabia’s Khobar Towers in 1996.

The plaintiffs include people whose family members were killed in the attacks, as well as people who were injured.

The UN court will have to decide if US courts have jurisdiction to rule in the case.